Chapter 5. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Noir: Ambient Light and Flash

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Noir: Ambient Light and Flash

“A moon half gone from the full glowed through a ring of mist among the branches of the eucalyptus trees...”—The Big Sleep

Shadow and light. What else is there in this crazy game called life? It’s the Big Mystery, best as I can tell. Solve it and the game’s over; you win. As for photography, crack the riddle of light and you’ve got it made in the shade, no pun intended.

What first attracted me to San Diego was the quality of the light. Sometimes alien and surreal, other times biblical, as garish as a Hollywood epic. I’m transfixed by the contrast between harsh desert sun and murky pools ...

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